The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-05-08
FROM LIBBY PRISON.
A Federal Majors Scheme
Which Proved Successful.
DARING AND DANGEROUS FEAT.
Buying a Confederate Uniform by
Piecemeal-Digging the Fam
GUS Tunnel.

I doubt if there was among US q cap
tive without some pet theory by which
liberty might be regained, and like the
rest l nursed, though silently, firm
determination to escape, well knowing
that strategy must be my main depend
ence, since a wound received during the
second year of service rendered me too
lame to hope for any luck on foot or in
the open. l knew that a complete dis
guise would be indispensable to my pur-
nose, and that all my haste must be
made slowly. Persistent dickering and
trading here and there whenever | could
safely do it gradually put me in possess
sion of the different parts of gray uni
form, and | was meanwhile doing what
I could to make the wounded leg ser
viceable to bear me toward freedom.
Patient and Outlines painful toll it took
to achieve this end, but, like the rest, |
was desperate and counted no effort too
great. l paced the room in which was
confined and leaned how many times
about it made mile. Then day after
day | increased my walk, improving
my ability as q pedestrian and earning
among my comrades the reputation OF
a crank. My health was giving way. To
remain much longer meant that some
morning l should go forth in one of the
rude boxes we daily saw hauled away,
We knew not where. in the prison cart.
| had also another motive-to q man of
% probably the chief motive. 1 have
nearly doubled my years since then.
bat l can look across my table and see
the eyes that drew me out of Libby and
smiling back the love which has never
grown cold.
WATCHING TO ESCAPE.
Waiting and watching my chance, l
left my beard Hnshorn for months, de-
ternined to look as little as possible
like the man who had entered there at
midsummer. January 1, 1864, saw the
beginning of great enterprise. Odd as
it may seem, out of the l 300 officers at
that time confined in Libby but sixteen,
sworn to secrecy, began digging the
famous tunnel, to which must briefly
refer, since it bears, though indirectly,
upon my own story. The prison con-
sisted of three buildings, separated only
by partition walls. On the ground floor
of the middle building hearthstone
was taken up and access was obtained
to the cellar. A few stones were re-
moved from the foundation wall and
with knives and tin plates a space just
large enough TO allow of the passage of
q mans body was cut out, The digger
filed his coat with earth and then
worked his way back, casting the loose
earth down the sinks as opportunity
served.
The original intention was by tunnel |
,,t~
into the canal at the rear of the prison, |
and following it, to escape along the |
edge Of the water. But having accom-
plisheG the first plan the sewer was |
found to be impracticable from being |
entirely full, and this immense labor |
had to be repeated in another direction. |
Another tunnel was therefore run to |
and beyond a board fence Ia distance of |
80 feet) which separated the Libby from |
the next building. Once beyond the
fence one was outside the guard and |
must take his chances of getting clear
Of the city. Through this tunnel one |
month later 100 prisoners made |
their escape, ffty-eight of the |
poor souls being recaptured. |
Many have claimed the credit of this |
affair, but undoubtedly the real engin-
eer of the famous Libby tunnel was Col |
William a. Rose, who when within slgut |
of our lines at Williamsburg, Va, was |
Overtaken and returned to Richmond.
FASTENING MY SCHEME.
The knowledge OF what was in pro-
cess fastened my own plan, for fore
saw that the Inevitable discovery would |
cause such vigilance and suspicion as
would render any further attempts |
iu tile. Early on the morning of Janu- |
8ry %, I shaved my face entirely clean, |
and for want of better medium dark |
sned my eyebrows and hair with mix
ture of SCOT and water and yellowed my |
skin with a decoction of walnut shucks,
which fairly hid the Saxon cast l was |
born TO. Nv gray suit was put on over
q pair OF blue pants, the gray ones
ceing rolled up to the knees SO that my
Olue army oyercoat might cover all ex.
cept the lower part of my clothing and |
so assist the disguise. The call for the
sick at 8 a. m. gave me an opportunity |
TO go with a score Of others to the |
ground floor for advice and medicine. |
weakness I passed the exam
nation and loitered near the doorway, |
hoping to seize lucky moment for |
SHpping out, but too many were about,
AiiA' O0lIASN>t L 4SluIu0u 10 my quarters
10 watch and wait. Up to a Short time
previous to this we as officers had tree
access between all rooms but latterly
the communicating doors had been
nailed up, and this move, while it cur
tailed our freedom, also compelled the
guard to go completely out of one build
Ing before entering another,
Among many foolish pranks a merci-
sul Providence granted US one flower of
wisdom. In some moment of inspira
ton we had sawed one of those doors
across the middle, and by placing q
shelf on each side over the crack had
produced an innocent appearance OF |
Convenience, where was really a means
OF quick communication. | am thus |
particular, because in the end this fact
proved to be nv salvation. At o'clock ,
occurred the ally roll call, and just |
previous TO 1t myself and a brother Off |
,er, Who was rendering me such help |
as he could, slipped quietly through the !
lah door, exchanged places with two |
others VINO we're in my secret ana pre-
pared TOR this move. In this middle /
room free access was permit ed by |
staircase to the ground floor. where we
PROMPTLY vent; being counted there /
instead y Where We belonged.
Al went we'll. The tally proved cor
rest and the guard formed into platoon |
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